Regardless of what you might have learn elsewhere, the WNBA playoffs are nonetheless certainly ongoing with out Rookie of the 12 months Caitlin Clark. After being locked down by DeWanna Bonner of the Connecticut Solar, Clark’s Indiana Fever had been swept within the first spherical.
However there are nonetheless many causes to observe as Sport 3 of the semifinals begins on Friday night time for each the Minnesota Lynx and Solar — tied 1-1 — and the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces.
Chief amongst them is that this may very well be the final stand for A’ja Wilson and the Aces and their quest for a three-peat.
No workforce within the WNBA has received three championships in a row because the now-defunct Houston Comets received the primary 4 Finals behind the play of a historic, all-time nice trio in Cynthia Cooper, Tina Thompson and Sheryl Swoopes. One of many gamers on that New York Liberty workforce that the Comets beat for his or her fourth consecutive title in 2000 was Becky Hammon, who’s now the coach of the Las Vegas Aces, and one that’s extremely annoyed with the way in which her workforce has come up quick in its final two video games.
Throughout a timeout in Tuesday’s 88-84 loss to the Liberty in Brooklyn, New York, Hammon may simply be seen tearing into guard Kelsey Plum throughout a timeout.
“That is why three-peating is tough. Let’s be actual,” Hammon stated. “The entire league has been pissed off for the final eight months and my gamers are in commercials and this and that and being freaking celebrities and also you get distracted. That’s why it’s arduous. As a result of human nature is distracting.”
The Aces are actually down 2-0 in a five-game sequence and dealing with elimination as they return to Las Vegas for Friday’s Sport 3. Within the historical past of the WNBA, no workforce has come again from a 2-0 deficit to win a five-game sequence.
Certainly, the percentages are stacked towards the Aces. They’re making an attempt to chase historical past, however historical past isn’t on their aspect.
The excellent news is they’re the workforce that has A’ja Wilson, and the New York Liberty don’t.
And that could be simply sufficient.
Contemplate that Wilson was unanimously voted the league’s MVP this season, the primary to take action since Cooper within the WNBA’s first marketing campaign in 1997.
Additionally think about that the South Carolina product—now a three-time MVP and two-time Olympic gold medalist—is placing up numbers this season that merely haven’t been seen earlier than within the sport. Wilson leads the WNBA in factors (26.9), blocks (2.6), discipline objectives made (10.1), free throws made (6.1) and defensive rebounds (9.8) per recreation. The 6-foot-4 seventh-year ahead additionally leads the WNBA in win shares (10) and PER (34.9).
And Wilson is the one participant within the historical past of the WNBA to common a minimum of 26 factors and 11 rebounds per recreation. Different gamers received a variety of consideration this season, however Wilson is the transcendent expertise doing issues within the WNBA that nobody else ever has.
But additionally, Wilson wants assist. She received some in final Sunday’s Sport 1 loss from Plum, who led the Aces with 24 factors in an 87-77 loss, and Jackie Younger added 17 factors too. In Sport 2’s defeat, Wilson had 24 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists, whereas no different Las Vegas participant shot higher than 50 p.c from the ground. Plum actually struggled, capturing 2-of-9 from the ground with three turnovers.
Greater than something, the Aces want to enhance their protection. The 175 mixed factors they’ve given as much as the Liberty are essentially the most they’ve allowed in back-to-back video games since dropping two in a row to the Lynx in late August.
With their backs towards the wall, no matter occurs to the Aces on Friday night time will likely be a must-watch.
